Staff ReporterIn a tragic turn of events, a South African-based Zimbabwean couple, Shadreck Masuku (40) and Thabitha Mbambo (26), died in a car accident in South Africa just 11 days after their wedding in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. The couple, along with Thabitha’s sister, Nkosinothando Sibanda (42), died at the scene of the accident in Kranskop, Limpopo Province.
The couple had recently exchanged their vows on December 27, 2022, and were preparing for their traditional wedding in April. Unfortunately, the couple’s one-year-old daughter was also injured in the accident and is currently receiving medical treatment. An additional passenger, a friend of the couple, also died in the accident.
Former ZBC presenter Ezra “Tshisa” Sibanda led efforts to raise funds to bring Nkosinothando’s body back home, as she had no funeral policy. The three victims were laid to rest at the Umvutsha Cemetery in Bulawayo, where hundreds of people attended the funeral.
Sithabile Tshabangu, a representative of the Mbambo family, spoke of the tragedy of losing the two siblings at once. She said, “We never thought we would lose them like this and at once. The two girls were inseparable. Even when they were growing up, we would see them together everywhere. It is sad they had to end up dying together. We also greatly lost as a community because they were our children.”
The untimely death of this young couple has left their families and community in shock and mourning. The couple had just begun their lives together, and their passing serves as a reminder of the fragility of life and the importance of cherishing every moment.